No matter what the national pundits think, it’s hard to be pessimistic about the Falcons’ free agency moves.

There’s no trophy for winning the offseason, and opinions about which teams won and lost free agency have zero bearing on how the team will actually perform in 2024.

That said, the Falcons have been busy since the legal tampering — whoops, early negotiating period (let’s pump the brakes on tossing around the t-word since the NFL is investigating the Falcons for potential t-wording around the Kirk Cousins signing).

The Falcons’ moves, particularly the Cousins signing, were largely applauded by the national media.

SB Nation:

Kirk Cousins is now a member of the Falcons, and so long as he’s healthy, it’s a ridiculous coup. It’s not often you find a way to get a top-tier quarterback without having to give up the moon in return — but the Falcons managed to do just that. They keep their draft capital intact, while adding an elite quarterback.

Sure, it cost a lot of money, but the salary cap is largely a made up construct — especially when the three core weapons of your offense in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts are all on rookie deals. This essentially means that when it’s time to really feel the bite of these rookies, Cousins’ time in Atlanta is likely done. If you add in that our own J.P Acosta has the Falcons taking LSU receiver Malik Nabers with the No, 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, you have a scenario where this team could legitimately have the most fearsome offense in the entire conference. Not just the NFC South, the entire NFC — and this is coupled with a defense that was already middle of the league in 2023, but will be much better organized under Raheem Morris and Jimmy Lake.

I’m buying into this Falcons team big time. They should cruise through the NFC South and make the playoffs, and from there anything is possible. Essentially this team lost Matt Ryan, went a couple of years without him — then signed a new Matt Ryan. If you watched Atlanta last year you know how scary this team could have been with a halfway decent quarterback. Now they have much more than that. – James Dator

Pro Football Focus:

The Falcons needed an answer at the quarterback position this spring, and they got it in the form of Kirk Cousins. They are paying him like a top-eight quarterback, which fits nicely, given that the former Viking ranked seventh among quarterbacks in PFF passing grade (85.1) before injury ended his 2023 season.

Atlanta had the pieces on offense to be successful in 2023, but the side was held back by the lack of production at the most important position in football. Adding Cousins and speedster Darnell Mooney at wide receiver to an offense that features first-round picks in Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson makes them the favorites in the NFC South and puts them in position to make some noise in a weaker NFC. – Gordon McGuinness

Sporting News:

Cousins is the NFL’s Scrooge McDuck, sitting on a pile of money that would allow him to buy as many Kohl’s stores as he would ever want. Even a torn Achilles’ couldn’t keep him from breaking the bank with a third team in NFL free agency following his lucrative coups with the Commanders and Vikings.

Before that injury, Cousins was having his best season in Minnesota at 35. He has plenty left with his big arm and new comfort level in the Rams-like offense in which he will remain. With some right moves around him, he has the potential to produce a Matthew Stafford-like result. Don’t sleep on Atlanta adding former Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney as a key fourth weapon with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.

Cousins suddenly gives Atlanta the QB edge in the NFC South, and this 7-10 team the past three seasons should be the division favorites now under OC Zac Robinson and coach Raheem Morris. – Vinnie Iyer

Over 80 percent of Falcons fans who took this week’s survey graded the Cousins signing in the A to B range.

SB Nation’s national Reacts respondents gave the Texans a slight edge over the Falcons for their free agency moves, but a majority — exactly half of respondents — also expect Cousins will be the free agent acquisition most likely to make a positive impact on his new team.

Yahoo! Sports disagrees about the Cousins signing, and the points they make are valid concerns.

Cousins is a great quarterback. He has plenty of experience and can be a solid QB1 for a contending team. But paying a soon-to-be 36-year-old a reported $180 million, with $100 million guaranteed, over four years coming off a torn Achilles feels like a mistake brewing.

The Falcons were close to making the playoffs last season despite having a clear hole at quarterback. They have plenty of young talent with high potential on both sides of the ball, with new head coach Raheem Morris also looking promising. But, knowing the context surrounding Cousins, opting for that profile at quarterback might not be the right infusion of talent. – Sanjesh Singh

That said, Cousins has consistently played at a high level in recent years, and — let’s be real — there are plenty of ways for teams to wriggle out of the later years of players’ contracts. The only real question at this point is his health, and that’s a variable for every player every single season.

Hopefully he’ll be fully healthy by the time the season starts, and if so, the Falcons have a better chance of being winners on the field in 2024 in addition to the offseason.

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